Book Review: C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton

So tell me, as another book reviewer, how do you keep the interest going for reviews of similar books. Which by the way, brings me to a bigger question – how do authors keep the next ones in a series intriguing. And I am not giving credit to shitty Bollywood (a few Hollywood too) movies whose directors/ producers just for the sake of milking the success of first movie keeps on releasing next one in a series.

C is for Corpse is yet another rock-n-roll series where at the very start you know who is the victim/ client (both being the same in this case) and then along with Kinsey, you as a reader, have to explore and find out the correct sequence and motive. But you know all you hear is not true since people morph the telling suit their own personal needs. For example, a character was not so forthcoming to say he/she (hey, I am not giving any spoilers away and hence the neutral tense) was married once. But I tell you, this one is the best so far among A, B and C. So, keep your fingers crossed while reading the book so that there are no more murders in this one.

Next one on the line is, yes, you guessed it right, D is for Deadbeat. Keep watching my blog for more book reviews.

Excerpt from the back cover of the book: C IS FOR CALCULATED How do you go about solving an attempted murder when the victim has lost a good part of his memory? It’s one of Kinsey’s toughest cases yet, but she never backs down from a challenge. Twenty-three-year-old Bobby Callahan is lucky to be alive after a car forced his Porsche over a bridge and into a canyon. The crash left Bobby with a clouded memory. But he can’t shake the feeling it was no random accident and that he’s still in danger. C IS FOR CRIME The only clues Kinsey has to go on are a little red address book and the name “Blackman.” Bobby can’t remember who he gave the address book to for safekeeping. And any chances of Bobby regaining his memory are dashed when he’s killed in another automobile accident just three days after he hires Kinsey. C IS FOR CORPSE As Kinsey digs deeper into her investigation, she discovers Bobby had a secret worth killing for―and unearthing that secret could send Kinsey to her own early death.

About the author: Sue Grafton was a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She is best known for her “alphabet series” featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. Prior to success with this series, she wrote screenplays for television movies. Her earlier novels include Keziah Dane (1967) and The Lolly-Madonna War (1969), both out of print. In the book Kinsey and Me she gave us stories that revealed Kinsey’s origins and Sue’s past. Grafton never wanted her novels to be turned into movies or TV shows. According to her family she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. Because of these things, and out of respect for Sue’s wishes, the family announced the alphabet now ends at “Y.” Grafton was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, the Ross Macdonald Literary Award, three Shamus Awards, and many other honors and awards. Website: www.suegrafton.com

Rating: 9/10

Genre:	Mystery, Thriller
Book Name:	C is for Corpse Kinsey Millhone/ Alphabet series, #3
Author:	Sue Grafton
Pages:	305
Publication Year:	1986

Book Review: B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton

When we have introduced our kids to A for Apple, B for Ball, C for Cat in Kindergarten, why should not we adults also have our own such naming games, right? And it seems that Sue Grafton answered many of our requests, what with her Alphabet series on murder mysteries/ thrillers!

So this is a book where I sort of expected what would happen. What with reading thrillers and murder mysteries back to back since past 6 months, and while having already read the first book in this series written by Sue Grafton. But this book B is for Burglar is the one where I finally started liking the protagonist or the female detective – Kinsey Millhone. In fact, there will be lot many people who would love her character – giving 100 percent of life to one’s job with no holds barred because of personal inclinations. Just kidding! I like Kinsey too. The mystery, of course, is not revealed till almost the end of the book. However, as a reader if you would have paid enough attention, you may have guessed a little this time. I, for one, sucked in this, for I was too much involved in becoming attuned to the regular characters of this series for the next ones to pick up.

Next one on the line is, yes, you guessed it right, C is for Corpse. Keep watching my blog for more book reviews.

Excerpt from the back cover of the book: Although business has been slow lately for P.I. Kinsey Millhone, she’s reluctant to take on the case of locating Beverly Danziger’s sister Elaine Boldt. It’s a small matter that Beverly should be able to handle herself. So why is she enlisting Kinsey’s services? Beverly claims she needs Elaine’s signature on some documents so that she can collect a small inheritance. But the whole affair doesn’t sit well with Kinsey. And if there’s something she’s learned in her line of work, it’s to always follow your instincts. Kinsey’s hunch proves true when she begins her inquiries into Elaine’s whereabouts and discovers that the attractive widow was last seen in a flashy lynx coat boarding a plane for Boca Raton. But the more Kinsey searches for Elaine the more questions she encounters. Is Elaine’s disappearance tied in to the brutal murder several months ago of one of her bridge partners? And what happened to Elaine’s Persian cat who seems to have also vanished? Things take a turn for the worse when a stranger vandalizes the home of one of Elaine’s neighbors and another neighbor turns up murdered. With her reputation and career on the line, Kinsey risks all to find a missing woman and a killer who’s waiting in the shadows to strike again.

About the author: Sue Grafton was a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She is best known for her “alphabet series” featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. Prior to success with this series, she wrote screenplays for television movies. Her earlier novels include Keziah Dane (1967) and The Lolly-Madonna War (1969), both out of print. In the book Kinsey and Me she gave us stories that revealed Kinsey’s origins and Sue’s past. Grafton never wanted her novels to be turned into movies or TV shows. According to her family she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. Because of these things, and out of respect for Sue’s wishes, the family announced the alphabet now ends at “Y.” Grafton was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, the Ross Macdonald Literary Award, three Shamus Awards, and many other honors and awards. Website: www.suegrafton.com

Rating: 8/10

Genre:	Mystery, Thriller
Book Name:	B is for Burglar Kinsey Millhone/ Alphabet series, #2
Author:	Sue Grafton
Pages:	310
Publication Year:	1985

Book Review: A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

Last year I was able to complete 64 books, that too of my own choosing and I am proud of it since long back, I had given up taking book review requests from authors, publishers and publicists.  This meant reading the books I like with no qualms of leaving one in between because it was not interesting or not up to my expectations. And this is how I am going to keep this new year too. It is a pain to search which books to read next once one is done with, I propped myself up on the famous Alphabet series by late Sue Grafton. No no, I do not have any qualms on reading books of newbies, but I am just being my usual lazy. So this is my story of how I picked up the first one in the series – A for Alibi.

While reading the book, the first thing that came to my mind about the detective Kinsey Millhone is that she is a person just like me and you and not like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot who are self-obsessed that they can solve any crime, come what may! And it helps for a reader to understand her by reading the character sketch of Kinsey Millhone that she is a one with natural human flaws but takes painstaking efforts in coming to a solution and does not sit idle till the crime is solved. However, when compared to other detective series, you may find this slow for the very reason I said in the previous statement but you have to let it linger to like/ get the hang of the reading style. And if you ask me, I started liking this book only from the second book in this series on-wards.

The book is also aptly named since the crime can be committed by anyone because of the methodology of the committed crime and no alibi will hold good in that sense. So what are you waiting for? Rush and pick up this book at the earliest and start on your alphabet series.

 

Keep watching my blog for more book reviews.

Excerpt from the back cover of the book: A IS FOR AVENGER A tough-talking former cop, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has set up a modest detective agency in a quiet corner of Santa Teresa, California. A twice-divorced loner with few personal possessions and fewer personal attachments, she’s got a soft spot for underdogs and lost causes. A IS FOR ACCUSED That’s why she draws desperate clients like Nikki Fife. Eight years ago, she was convicted of killing her philandering husband. Now she’s out on parole and needs Kinsey’s help to find the real killer. But after all this time, clearing Nikki’s bad name won’t be easy. A IS FOR ALIBI If there’s one thing that makes Kinsey Millhone feel alive, it’s playing on the edge. When her investigation turns up a second corpse, more suspects, and a new reason to kill, Kinsey discovers that the edge is closer―and sharper―than she imagined.

About the author: Sue Grafton was a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She is best known for her “alphabet series” featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, California. Prior to success with this series, she wrote screenplays for television movies. Her earlier novels include Keziah Dane (1967) and The Lolly-Madonna War (1969), both out of print. In the book Kinsey and Me she gave us stories that revealed Kinsey’s origins and Sue’s past. Grafton never wanted her novels to be turned into movies or TV shows. According to her family she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. Because of these things, and out of respect for Sue’s wishes, the family announced the alphabet now ends at “Y.” Grafton was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, the Ross Macdonald Literary Award, three Shamus Awards, and many other honors and awards. Website: www.suegrafton.com

Rating: 8/10

Genre:	Mystery, Thriller
Book Name:	A is for Alibi Kinsey Millhone/ Alphabet series, #1
Author:	Sue Grafton
Pages:	320
Publication Year:	1982